More than half of employees who have taken time off work due to mental health issues feel uncomfortable speaking to their line manager about the real reason for their absence, according to independent research carried out by Westfield Health.
Men having discussion
The research found 50 per cent of employees suffering from a mental health issue such as stress, anxiety or depression did not take time off work. Of those who had experienced mental health issues, 40 per cent said their mental health problems had arisen due to the negative impact of a physical ailment.
The survey of nearly 2,000 working adults across the country found 21 per cent of workers feel admitting the real reason for their absence would have a negative effect on their career.
A fifth of respondents also said they find it easier to say something else was the cause of their absence.
A third of employees, 34 per cent, said line managers are more interested in getting them back to work as quickly as possible, rather than supporting them in managing their mental health.
Westfield Health executive director David Capper, said: “Mental illness is a fact of life and can affect anyone at any time. However, there is still a stigma surrounding it which results in this unacceptable silence in the workplace.
“Without open, honest conversations in organisations, many employers might think they provide a good support package for employee illness, but actually it’s failing to address one of the most common problems.
“What’s more, a lack of transparency means the problem is much bigger than many employers realise.
“We’re calling for employers to take a new approach to mental health in the workplace. Simple steps can be taken to support colleagues whose mental health is under strain and to create a culture where employees feel safe to talk openly without facing any kind of discrimination.
“Mental health should be treated the same way as physical health, but this can only begin by tackling the silence with honest conversations.
“Our research shows that this is a much bigger problem than many employers realise and without staff opening up about the real reason for their absence, managers will never know the extent of the problem and will leave themselves in danger of not properly addressing the issue.”